When I started pole I knew one thing,
I liked tricks.
When I was teaching myself at home using YouTube videos I always saw "insert trick name here Tutorial."
I learned spins and I taught myself tricks and this was what I knew.
Over time I became known as the trickster and I identified with that name.
As more and more time went on I started being told in various ways by various people that I "wasn't a dancer" or "I need to work on my dance" or "you obviously hate the floor/floorwork"
I started to believe this and make it my reality.
I said things like "I HATE floorwork" "God why can't I just WALK to the other pole?"
It got to a point where I took an opportunity to perform in front of hundreds of people I know and love and I just wanted to use it to "own up" to "my style" as just a trickster who didn't like or know dance.
In March I performed at Elevated Art and the moment I saw the video I had a huge smack of a revelation.
"This actually isn't me" is what came through my mind.
I did a freestyle this July and it was to a song I could ACTUALLY dance to unlike my last performance (that song was picked subconsciously I'm sure so that I couldn't dance to it) and it looks like a different person performing.
I have advanced and improved and worked on learning new floorwork and flow but the reality is that it was inside of me all along to move more like I do in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVf8Lcd51nE&list=UUOzr4ir6Fx6L3PvRh6_79Aw
My point is don't just be the kind of pole dancer or performer that people tell you that you are. They may be right or people may accurately point out/highlight your strengths but we are never just one thing.
-You change constantly
-You are always learning new things and learn new ways to move your body and be aware of it
-Your song/mood/audience/etc changes the way your body moves
-Your experiences change the way you move
-Just because you have a certain background doesn't mean that is the only thing you can be (gymnast, ballerina, industry worker, etc)
-Try to find you and don't pigeonhole yourself because so much more can be unveiled and learned and changed
Many pole dancers have their style and it's present in their movement and walk and performances and I believe that we have our own notable styles but our poling is never the same :)
<3
Love you all
